Anticipation

I’ve always written books, for as long as I can remember. But for a few years, I was also a book blogger (mad respect to all the book bloggers out there, that dedication isn’t easy). I remember helping support so many debut authors, feeding into the excitement of a book birthday or cover reveal. And now, it’s my turn.

In a little over a month, my debut YA fantasy, GARDEN OF THORNS, will be coming out from Entangled Teen. The exact date is March 6th, 2017, and I know because I’ve been telling anyone who will let me talk about it.

When my book originally sold and I was given a publication date, it seemed like such a far away thing. Something I could hold out an examine in the sunlight but not fret because it will still months away. But as the days dwindle, it is becoming very real and I find myself caught somewhere between excitement and terror in equal amounts. Half of the time I want to remind everyone down to the minute when it will release and the other half, I’m tempted to tell them the release date was pushed back.

I think this is normal. For so long, my book has only belonged to a select few. To this day, anytime my agent or editor mention one of my characters by name, I do a double take, because it is so easy to forget that they know them too. But when GARDEN is released, Rose and Rayce and Marin and Arlo and Oren won’t just belong to me. They will belong to anyone who decides to read it. I love that thought. And it also scares me. It’s a fine line that I feel so lucky to get to walk!

I’m very proud of the little book my editor and I crafted. I already know it is a million times stronger than when she first acquired it. She knew how to push me to dig deeper than I thought was possible and really make my characters come to life.

They were already real to me. I can’t wait for everyone else to meet them, to see the world I’ve spent the last few years creating in my head.

Find Me

Garden of Thorns

Garden of Thorns

Entangled Teen March 6th, 2017

After seven grueling years of captivity in the Garden—a burlesque troupe of slave girls—sixteen-year-old Rose finds an opportunity to escape during a performance for the emperor. But the hostage she randomly chose from the crowd to aid her isn’t one of the emperor’s men—not anymore. He’s the former heir to the throne, who is now leading a rebellion against it.

Rayce is a wanted man and dangerously charismatic, the worst person for Rose to get involved with, no matter what his smile promises. But he assumes Rose’s attempt to take him hostage is part of a plot to crush the rebellion, so he takes her as his hostage. Now Rose must prove where her loyalties lie, and she offers Rayce a deal—if he helps her rescue the other girls, she’ll tell him all the Garden’s secrets.

Except the one secret she’s kept for seven years that she’ll take to her grave if she must.